OPERATIONS ON THE WESTERN FRONT, 1914- 5 a general retreat of the whole allied left, from Verdun westward began toward . On August 24, a flood of Uhlans swept through the north of . They occupied Valenciennes, Denain and many other towns. The First German Army under General von Kluck continued its advance at top speed, trying to outflank the British in their retirement and drive them towards Maubeuge. The obvious purpose of its wide sweep westward was at once to turn the successive escarpments which form the natural defences of Paris to the eastward and envelop the opposing forces. Hot fighting took place at Landre- cies on August 25, and next day at Le Cateau. The losses on both sides were severe, but the British were obliged to abandon many guns on continuing their retreat. Fighting took place that day on a front of almost one hundred miles. A very fierce assault by the Germans in the neighbourhood of Nancy was repelled with great loss. M6zieres was abandoned by the French. The allied forces were pushed back all along the line on their left. On August 27 the old frontier fortress of Longwy surrendered after a bombardment of several days. Maubeuge was invested. The Germans advanced to the forest of the Argonne. The French Cabinet resigned and was replaced immediately by a stronger one, General Gallieni was appointed Governor of Paris. Arrangements were made for the removal of the French ministry to Bordeaux. Large Russian armies had entered Eastern Prussia and Galicia, where they had gained important victories. The inhabitants were flying before them in terror. Three German army corps were promptly sent eastward by rail to oppose the invaders. The German operations in France were driven forward with furious energy and speed, regard­ less of losses and the exhaustion of the troops, in the hope of winning decisive victory before turning against their eastern enemy. The tired men were ruthlessly spurred onward and reminded of the military maxim that "sweat saves blood." As their mobilization was more effective than that of the allies, they still greatly outnumbered them in the decisive theatre of war, west of Verdun. The British army was again outflanked and driven from Cambrai on August 26, and from St. Quentin on the 28th. On the 29th it was directed to fall back to a selected position behind the Marne, on a line extending from Compiegne to Soissons. Amiens, and were abandoned. The Fifth French Army on the British right made a fierce counter- offensive at with some success, but its left attack failed and the line of the Somme was abandoned. The Sixth French Army, however, was hastily forming up on the British left, but retired toward Paris. The bridges crossing the Marne and other rivers were everywhere destroyed in the retreat. On September 3, the French Government removed to Bordeaux. General Joffre advised Sir John French to retire behind the Seine which he did, and the Germans crossed the Marne. It was no longer possible for them to outflank the allied left which then rested securely on the great fortress of Paris garrisoned by half a million men. Their whole enveloping movement had therefore failed. Their losses had been very great, not only in battle but on the march, owing to the feverish haste of their movements. Their First Army which had been moving directly upon Paris, swerved